STOCKS NEWS US-Stocks see biggest rally since first Citi rescue

Stocks on the move ,[HOT-RTRS] Real-Time Equity news [U E]

U.S. stock market report [.N]
1315 ET 10March2009-Stocks see biggest one-day rally since first Citi rescue
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The S&P 500 .SPX and Nasdaq .IXIC saw their biggest one-day rally on
Tuesday since late November, when the U.S. agreed to pump $20 billion of new
capital into Citigroup (C.N) and back $306 billion of its toxic assets.
[ID:nN24499982]

The move was intended to prevent a bank collapse that might have further
crippled the financial system, already weakened by the demise of Lehman
Brothers Holdings Inc (LEHMQ.PK).

On Tuesday, stocks jumped after the battered bank said in a memo to
employees that it was profitable during the first two months of 2009 and
confident in its capital position. [ID:nLA390055]

Reuters Messaging: deepa.seetharaman.reuters.com@reuters.net
1315 ET 10March2009-Office Depot comments lift stock, peers
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Shares of office supply companies soared on Tuesday, after Office Depot
(ODP.N) said its first-quarter results before interest and taxes should be
"significantly better" than its fourth quarter. It also said that thus far in
the first quarter, same-store sales in its North American retail division were
"slightly better" than in the fourth quarter.

For details, see [ID: nN10405433]

The stock surged 40 percent to 83 cents. Among its peers, Staples (SPLS.O)
advanced 5.9 percent to $15.49 and OfficeMax (OMX.N) added 2.6 percent to $2.

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
1217 ET-10March2009 Industrial ETF call volume swells, shrs up
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Call volume in an exchange-traded fund tracking the industrial sector
swelled to about 110,000 contracts, six times the norm during the first half of
the session, according to Trade Alert. The action comes just days after the
Industrial Select Sector SPDR (XLI.P) attracted significant upside buying that
stretched to the XLI April call options. With XLI shares up 7.1 percent to
$16.45, the fund's April $16, $17 and $18 calls turned extremely busy as each
had volume of more than 30,000 contracts earlier, said Pete Najarian, a founder
of optionmonster.com. The trades appeared to be tied to a combination strategy,
limiting both upside and downside. It was not clear if these positions or
bought or sold, he added. Last Thursday, the bulk of the call buying was
focused on the XLI April $18 calls which drew volume of more than 250,000
contracts for 30 cents, he said.

Reuters Messaging: doris.frankel.reuters.com@reuters.net
1154 ET 10March2009-Helen of Troy to join S&P SmallCap 600 index
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Shares of Helen of Troy Ltd (HELE.O) rose on Tuesday after Standard &
Poor's said the company will replace Owens & Minor Inc (OMI.N) in the S&P
SmallCap 600 index after the close of trading on March 16.

Owens & Minor will replace Chemtura Corp CEM.N in the S&P MidCap 400
index on the same date.

Standard & Poor's also said that AZZ Inc (AZZ.N) will replace A.H. Belo
Corp (AHC.N) in the S&P SmallCap 600 after the conclusion of trading on March
16.

Helen of Troy shares jumped more than 23 percent to $10.56, Owens & Minor
rose 2.3 percent to $31.50 and AZZ Inc gained more than 12 percent to $19.02.

Shares of Chemtura dropped 6.3 percent to 15 cents while A.H. Belo slumped
nearly 13 percent to 62 cents.
(Reuters Messaging:rm://Charles.mikolajczak.reuters.com@reuters.net)